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Pak players upset with PCB: Sources

Several senior players are upset as they have not got permission to play a T20 match in Toronto on May 12.

Lahore: Several senior Pakistan players, including captain Misbah-ul-Haq and former captain Shahid Afridi, are unhappy with the PCB as they have not got permission to play a Twenty20 match in Toronto on May 12, sources said.

The players are upset because they had sought permission from Intikhab Alam, who is PCB Director (international cricket operations), and had got verbal assurance. "Now it has transpired that since none of the players has applied for NOCs in writing from the Board and neither have they submitted details of the organisers and match, the PCB says it cannot give permission," a source said.

A PCB official said that the players were now blaming Intikhab for the mess up but a Board official said the players were themselves to blame for the situation. "Even if Intikhab gave them permission verbally, the Board can't act without having something in writing. None of the players have bothered to seek permission or NOC in writing from the relevant authorities in the board, so how do they expect to get permission," the official said.

He also said that under existing regulation no player could confirm his appearance in a match or enter into a deal with any foreign club without first taking the Board into confidence and getting their NOC. "All players who now go to play in foreign leagues have to follow this practice. It was adopted for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and even when players signed contracts with English counties."

But the Board official said if the players apply for permission in writing even now it can all be processed within a few days. "But we have to see what the team management thinks about sending the players when the national camp for the Sri Lanka tour is due to start from May 12," he said.